Imports of Brazilian soybeans by China registered a new drop in April

BEIJING (Reuters) - China's soybean imports from Brazil fell 16% in April compared with the same month a year earlier, data showed on Saturday, keeping supplies from the South American country well below last year's level after harvest delays. The world's biggest buyer of soy imported 5.3 million tons of the oilseed from Brazil, its main supplier, against 6.3 million tons in the previous year, according to data from the General Administration of Customs. Chinese buyers took advantage of this year's record Brazilian soy crop and low prices to step up purchases earlier this year. But a delayed Brazilian harvest and grain loading slowed shipments, while China's increased inspections of soybean arrivals last month further reduced imports, traders say. In the accumulated result for the year, imports from Brazil are 28% below the previous year, with 9.21 million tons in the first four months, compared to 12.7 million tons in the same period of 2022. US imports continue to rise, up 11% ...